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October 1957 Memorandum Related to Sputnik Missy Mcnatt and David Traill

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October 1957 Memorandum Related to Sputnik Missy Mcnatt and David Traill Social Education 71(6), pp 332–336 ©2007 National Council for the Social Studies Teaching with Documents October 1957 Memorandum Related to Sputnik Missy McNatt and David Traill On October 5, 1957, the headline on the front page of the Baltimore News-Post pro- Vanguard, was capable of launching a claimed “RUSS ‘MOON’ CIRCLING EARTH.” Beneath it, the newspaper asked satellite. Another area of concern for readers, “Horror or Progress?” The article that followed, written by International the president was whether or not the News Service Science writer Edwin Diamond, began: “A new moon circles today signals sent by Sputnik I could convey in the earth’s heavens, placed there by Soviet scientists to open the space age. What coded reconnaissance information. Even is its meaning? ... The consensus of scientists close to the space program seems with the tough questions posed by the to be if Russia can place a moon in space, it can place an ICBM anywhere on president and the uncertain answers earth.” (Emphasis is from the article). provided by the attending scientists, the message of the meeting was clear: The “Russ” Moon was Sputnik I, development; Dr. Alan T. Waterman, President Eisenhower had no intention launched by the Soviet Union a day ear- first director of the U.S. National Science of making dramatic changes to the exist- lier. The launch had far-reaching and Foundation; Dr. John P. Hagen, direc- ing American space program. unexpected outcomes for the United tor of Vanguard Project; William M. Although the conference between States. Almost immediately, President Holaday [sic], special assistant to the Eisenhower and top scientific and defense Dwight D. Eisenhower called a meet- secretary of defense for guided mis- officials was stamped secret, the launch of ing with key officials from the defense siles; Sherman Adams, former governor Sputnik I was no secret. Tass, the official and scientific communities to discuss its of New Hampshire and White House Soviet news agency of the Soviet Union, ramifications. The featured document is chief of staff; General Wilton Persons, had proudly announced the successful the Memorandum of Conference with deputy assistant to the president; James launch and orbit of Sputnik I in Pravda the President that occurred on October Hagerty, White House press secre- on October 5, 1957. Sputnik, Russian 8, 1957, submitted by Brigadier General tary; Howard Pyle, former governor of for “fellow traveler,” was launched by a Andrew Jackson Goodpaster, staff secre- Arizona, and executive branch liaison; rocket into an elliptical orbit around the tary and defense liaison, on October 9. Bryce N. Harlow, speech writer and Earth at about 8,000 meters per second. The two-page memorandum was stamped congressional liaison; General Robert It completed an orbit of the Earth once SECRET, and was not declassified until Cutler, special assistant to the president every 98 minutes and traveled about November 17, 1976, nearly 20 years later. for national security affairs; and General continued on page 336 That the meeting was considered “Secret” Andrew J. Goodpaster, staff secretary suggests the Eisenhower administration’s and defense liaison. strong desire to avoid sending signals Despite the alarming newspaper head- Note about the Document to the public that Washington viewed lines, according to the memorandum, The featured memorandum is in the hold- Sputnik I as a crisis in the making. Eisenhower approached the meeting ings of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library in The list of those present at the 40-min- calmly, and with methodical and pre- Abilene, Kansas. Both of its pages are available ute meeting conveyed a “Who’s Who” of cise questions regarding the status of online through the National Archives Archival Research Catalog (ARC), identifier number top scientists working for the government the United States satellite program. He 186623, at www.archives.gov/research/arc/ and included Donald Quarles, deputy inquired whether the Army missile pro- index.html. secretary of defense for research and gram, Redstone, or the Navy program, S OCIAL EDUCATION 332 O CT O BER 2007 333 S OCIAL EDUCATION 334 TEachING SUggEstIONS 1. Focus or Preview Activity contrast the reactions. Lead a class discussion comparing Divide the class into groups of six to eight students. Choose the information generated by the research and the close one student in each group to assume the role of President reading. Eisenhower, which the other students in each group assume the roles of scientific and defense advisors to the president. Assign one student in each group to take notes. 4. Guest Speaker Explain to the students that the date is October 8, 1957, Invite colleagues or community members who remember and President Eisenhower has called a meeting to discuss the Sputnik launch and the American responses to speak the recent launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union. Give the to your class about their experiences. Assign your students students the following information: The launch of Sputnik to generate questions ahead of time so that they are well was a momentous event because it was the first time that a prepared. Share the featured document with the guest man-made object was successfully launched into orbit. The speakers, and ask them if the Memorandum of Conference event received significant media coverage, and increased with the President reflects their memories of the launch of concerns Americans had about the ability of the Soviet Sputnik. Union to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles. Ask the student assuming the role of President Eisenhower to lead the meeting and ask questions of the students assum- 5. Create a Timeline ing the roles of advisors. Instruct the students to meet for 10 Divide the class into six groups. Assign each group one of minutes. After 10 minutes, ask one member of each group the decades between 1950 and 2007. Direct student groups to summarize his or her group’s discussion for the class. to research the U.S. and Soviet/Russian space programs during their assigned decade. Ask students to identify the most significant events that occurred and list them on the 2. Document Analysis board in chronological order, creating a timeline visible to Provide students with a copy of the featured document. Ask the entire class. a volunteer to read it aloud while others follow along. Lead a class discussion with the following questions: • What type of document is it? 6. Research and Writing Activity • When was it created? Assign students to research and write an essay about what • Who created it? the United States government did in response to the launch • Why was the document written? of Sputnik and what motivated the responses. Encourage • Why is the document’s date important? students to share their essays with the class. Lead a class • What is the tone of the document? discussion based on the students’ essays. • Why was it classified? • When was it declassified? Encourage the students to compare the tone and con- 7. Historical Perspective Research and tent of the featured document with the tone and content Class Discussion of their brief meetings in activity #1. October 4, 2007, was the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union. Encourage students to investigate newspapers, magazines, and news programs. 3. Research and Compare/Contrast Focus a class discussion around the question: How is the Working individually or in groups, instruct the students to launch of Sputnik viewed 50 years after the event? complete a close reading of the Memorandum of Conference, noting the calm reaction of the officials to the launching of Sputnik I. Direct the students to research contemporary magazines and newspaper articles that describe how others reacted to the launching of Sputnik I. Using a Venn diagram or other graphic organizer, instruct students to compare and O CT O BER 2007 335 900 kilometers above the surface of the NOVEMBER 30TH Earth. Sputnik was about the size of a CROSSING BORDERS thru DECEMBER 2ND basketball and weighed 184 pounds. It had no scientific instruments, but had a BUILDING BRIDGES SAN DIEGO radio transmitter that emitted a constant signal for tracking purposes. The concern Eisenhower and the offi- cials at the meeting experienced did not stem from a great scientific advance on the part of the Soviet Union. The Eisenhower administration was aware of the immi- nent launch of the first Soviet satellite. A replica of the basketball-sized Sputnik I Satellite. The first launchings of the satellites by the Soviet Union had been announced in 1955 and planned as part of the scientific research program of the International Geophysical Year (July 1957-December grams from citizens of all ages. A current received by the White House on July 1958). Rather, the concerns expressed at events class from Leavenworth Junior 15, sent to the Office of Management the meeting were the result of the increas- High School in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Budget for review, given a favor- ing competition in high technology with raised $17.25 for the missile program. able recommendation on July 26, and the Soviet Union, a competition that had The check was dated January 9, 1958, signed into law on July 29. The latter bill begun in the waning days of World War and signed by the principal of the school. went through the same process even more II. A series of adverse events, including On November 3, 1957, the Upsilon quickly; it was received by the White the Berlin crisis, the Berlin airlift, the Alpha Chapter of the Phi Gamma Delta House on August 25, reviewed and rec- Soviet development of the atom bomb fraternity at the University of Arizona ommended by the OMB by September and explosion of a hydrogen bomb, and sent a telegram to the White House 1 and signed by President Eisenhower The 2007 Conference will be held November 30–December 2 at the San Diego Convention Center, the Soviet crackdown on Hungary in donating “The Services of Our Dog on September 2.
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